Labor avoids stoush over SA Senate post

Finance Minister Penny Wong will be at the top of the ALP's Senate ticket for the 2013 election, after parliamentary secretary Don Farrell agreed to drop to the number two spot.

Senator Farrell, a Right faction powerbroker who helped Julia Gillard seize the leadership in June 2010, won the top position at the preselection ballot at the weekend.

However, key Left faction figure and cabinet minister, Anthony Albanese, went public with his concerns about the preselection and threatened to seek its overturning at Friday's ALP national executive meeting.

Senator Farrell said he informed the prime minister of his decision on Monday.

"I said I was concerned that the issue was damaging the Labor party," he told ABC radio on Tuesday.

"I was prepared to do a swap with Penny."

Senator Farrell said Labor should not be seen to be concentrating on internal issues.

Labor backbencher Nick Champion, who voted for Senator Farrell, said his colleague always put the party ahead of personal interests.